Laundering machine



' 1 27. March w. w. TRINKS LAUNDERING MACHINE Fiied A ril 18, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 March .8 1927' w. w. TRINKS LAUNDERI NG MACHINE Filed April 18, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elnvemtoz 1620,144 March w. W. TRINKS LAUNDERING MACHINE Filed April 18, 1923 5 Shgets-Sheet 4 March 8 5 W. W. THINKS LAQNDERING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 18, 1923 NM Moll..- N .90

Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

cartel) stares Parent orries.

WILLIAM W. THINKS, OF BRIDGEPOBT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO PULLQLEAN' MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

, LAUNDERING MACHINE.

Application filed April 18, 1923. Serial No. 632,854t.

In a companion application, Serial No. 516,806, filed November 21, 1921, is disclosed a laundering machine con'iprising a washing means, a feeding means for unwinding :1 rolled towel supported in advance of the washing means and carrying the same through the latter and other laundering devices, and rewinding means for receiving the towel from the feeding means after being laundered and automatically re-winding the same into roll formgthis entire op eration being automatically accomplished inone continuous operation.

In this machine the towel feeding means comprises a pair of continuously moving carrier belts or chains, with which the towel is adapted to be detachably connected by means 01' a bar passed through a loop in the end of the towel and engaging at its opposite ends with holding members on the carrier belts. The connection between these holding members and the ends of the bar is efiected by pins on the holding members loosely engaging within open notches in one edge of the bar, It has been found in practice, however, that, with such loose connection between the holding members and the bar, there is a tendency for the barto become disengaged from the carrier belts during its passage through the machine and so interfere with the continuous and proper laundering of the connected towel. Because of this, it has been the main object of the present invention to provide a means for effecting a positive connection of the bar with the carrier belts, and one that will be automatically operated during movement o1 the belts to effect connection or" the bar therewith at a point in advance of the laundering means, and to subsequently release the bar after the towel has been acted on by the launderingmeans... This object is accomplished by the improvements illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown only so much of the laundering niachine'of my aforesaid application as is necessary to illustrate the present invention Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing in side elevation the main parts of the machine.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the upper front end of the machine, which is the left hand end 01" the machine as viewed in Fig. 1, at the point where the. bar in the leading end or" the towel is supported topbe engaged by latching devices on the carrier belts preliminary to the towel being drawn through the machine.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2. v

Fig. lis a similar view, on an enlarged scale and looking from the side opposite that shown in F 3, showing the operation of opening one of the latch devices preliminary to its connection with the towel bar.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a part ot' the machine at a point in the rear of the laundering devices, showing the means for operating the latch devices to release the towel bar therefrom.-

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of the. latch releasing means shown in Fig. 5 but at a different point in the operation of themachine, showing the latch in opened position.

Fig. is a top view of the towel engaging bar.

Fig. 8 is an end view of one of the latch devices and a carrier chain link to which it is connected. 1

Fig. 9 is a top plan of the same.

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section through the latclntaken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a detail showing, in side elevation, one of the latch devices held in open position byits opening cam as it approaches the towel bar.

Fig. 12 is a View of the same further on in its path of movement after having been released by the cam and closed into latch ing engagement with the bar.

Fig. 13 isa horizontal section through the latch device, taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 141- is a detail view similar to Fig. 4, showing the position of the parts with the end of the towel bar engaged by the latch device and the holding jaw of the latter about being released by its controlling cam, the sprocket chain being broken away and the block of the latch device being in section for the clearer illustration of the parts.

Figs. 15 and 16, together, represent a side view of the machine on a somewhat-larger scale than that shown in Figure 1 and with the several parts of the remaining figures shown in position thereon, some of the parts being broken away and in section for the clearer illustration of the machine.

Similar reference characters indicate like parts in the several figures on the drawings. 7

The laundering machine shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1 comprises a tank 1, having washing and rinsing chambers. 10 and r, within which are suitably mounted sets-of scrubbing brushes (not shown); a mangle arrangednext to the rinsing end of the tank and comprising a plurality of drying drums 100, 101, 102 and 103 mounted on a frame section 108; and a continuously moving carrier for the towels here shown in the form of a pair of parallel endless sprocket chains or belts 53, 53, mounted oirsuitable guiding and driving sprocketwheels for movement in a path to carry connected towels through the washing and rinsing chambers and about the drums of the mangle. The construction and operation of these several parts are fully disclosed in my aforesaid application to which reference may be had.

As hereinbefore referred to, the towels to be laundered are preferably in roll form. the

' same being wound about a tube or mandrel which is adapted to be mounted for rotation on a suit-able support at the front end of the tank 1 and from which the towels are gradually unwound as their front or leading ends are drawn through the machine by the carrier belts 53.

The towels indicated at t are adapted to be detachably connected with these carrier belts by means of a fiat bar 55 which is inserted through a loop in the front end of the towels,

as shown in Fig. 2. and engaged at its opposite'ends by the latch devices 10, 10, projecting from the inner sides of the belts. In order that this towel bar 55 may be automatically engaged by the latch devices 10011 the carrier belts during the continuous feeding'movement of the .latter there is mounted on the upper front end of the tank a holder for said bar, comprising a pair of arms 83, 33, each having a notch 84, in which the bar 55 may be loosely seated with its ends projecting into the path of movement of said latch devices on the can rier belts to be engaged by them, as shown in Fig. 2. These holder arms 33, 83. are hereshown as fixed on a rocx shaft having atone end thereof a lever handle 86 by which the rock shaft may be operated toswing the holder arms outward from the carrier belts to permit of the more convenient placing of the towel bar in the notches of said arms. A spring 87, connecting at one with said lever handle and at its opposite end with a fixed part of the machine. acts to yieldingly hold the arms 83 in a normally closed position for supporting the bar 55 in position to be engaged by the latch devices,

this closed position of the bar holder being determined by the engagement of an extension 88 of the lever handle with a fixed part 89 on the machine,as shown in Fig. 3.

(Vith this holder for the bar 55, it will be understood that after one bar has been ongaged by the carrier belts and started on its travel through the machine, the bar in the end loop of the next towel to be laundered may then be placed in the notches of the holder arms readyto be automatically ongaged at the proper predetermined time by the next set of latch devices on tl e carrier belts, these latch devices being so spaced to carry the successive towels through the machine 'ithout interfering one with the other. I p i In order that the towel bar 55, when placed in the notches of the holder arms 83. will be properly positioned and held with its ends in the path of the latch devices on the carrier belts, as'shown in Fig. 2, I have provided positioning arms 305, 305. for engaging the bar innotches 55 in the e. e thereof to hold it against endwise movement as shown in said Fig. 2, preliminary to its engagement by the latch devices, these arms being mounted on a stationary rod 308 and yieldingly held in an operative position by springs 307. V

' It is an object of the present invent-ion. hereinbefore stated, to provide a positive connection between the towel bar and'the carrier belts in order that the towel bar will not become accidentally disengaged from the belts during its passage through the machine. To effectthis, the latch devices. as here shown. each comprise a block having a bottom wall 11. and side walls l2, 12. one of the latter constituting part of a link of the sprocket chains which form the carrier belts. In the top of this block is movable latching member 14 mounted on a pivot 15 and formed. with an angu ar e3: ension 13 at its front end normally closing the open front end of the block. the member 14- being yieldingly held in such closed position by means of a spring 17 connecting at one end with a pin 18 on said member and at itsv opposite end connecting with a fixed pin 1.) in the lower wall of the block. as shown in Fig. 10.. Formed in the inner side wall 12 of the block is an open slot or notch 90 ertending backwardly from the open front end of the block a suiiicient distance permit of the end of the bar being received therein for latching engagement by the pivoted member 1.4. as shown in Figs. 12 and 13.

With latching devices of this construe tion carried by the opposite carrier bolts, as shown in Fig. 2, if the pivoted members 14 are rocked to an open position. as shown in Fig. 11. prior to reaching the ends of the bar sup mrted, in their path of movement, the saidends of the bar will be received iii into the open front ends of the latch blocks when the latter in their advance have reached the bar, after which the pivoted members 14. when returned to their closed position as shown in Fig. 12, will securely latch the bar in connection with the carrier belts and maintain such connection until operated to release the same. As it is desirable that the latch devices should be automatically controlled in their bar latching and releasing operations, I have provided means for so doing.

As a means for effecting latching engagement of the latch devices with the towel bar when the latter is supported at the front end of the machine, as shown in Fig. 2 I have provided .yieldably supported members 25 which are arranged in the paths of movement of the latch devices and operative to engage with the upper side of the pivoted latch members 14 upon their approach to the ends of the towel bar, and, acting with a yielding pressure against the same, depress the rear ends of said latch members to thereby raise or open their front ends as shown in Figs. 4 and 11, whichpressure upon the rear ends of the members 14 will continue until the ends of the towel bar have been received into the open front ends of the latch blocks after which the members 14-, in the continued movement of the carrier chains, will be released from engagement with the members 25 and caused to close into latching engagement with the bar ends under the action of the springs 17.

The members 25 for so controlling the opening and closing of the latch devices are here shown as being attached to one end of short shafts 26 pivotally mounted in bracket plates 27 secured on the holder arms 83, and being yieldingly held against stop pins 28 (see Fig. 3) in positions extending across the paths of movement of the latch devices. by means of suitably connected coiled springs 29 mounted on the shafts 26. The time during which the latch devices are held open for effecting latching engagement with the towel bars is controlled by the length of the engaging surface of the members 25,

which surface is preferably curved or cammed in the direction of its length for best controllmg the opening and closing of the latch members.

In the machine of my aforesaid applica-' tion, the towel, after having been passed through the laundering devices, is next delivered to a mechanism for re-winding the same into roll form whereby it will be ready for subsequent use in a cabinet or otherwise. In effecting the delivery of the towel from the laundering devices to the r'e-winding mechanism. the towel bar is released from the carrier belts by a releasing mechanism mounted on a section 140 of the frame at the rear of the mangle, this releasing mechanism, comprising a second set of belts, which delivers the towel to the re-winding mechanism. These releasnig belts arehere illustrated and comprise a pair of endless chains 220, which are driven from a shaft 176 to run at a greater speed than that of the carrier belts 53, and provided with projections 224 which are moved in paths to engage the bar. 55 held by the belts 53, and, by reason of their greater speed of movement, disengage the bar from said belts for delivery to the re-winding mechanism. Each one of the pair of chains 220 is mounted on a plurality of sprocket wheels, 221, 222 and 223, and as a means for maintaining them under proper tension; the shaft carrying the wheels 221 is journaled at each end in a bearing block 255, which is slidably mounted in an elongated slot 256 in the supporting frame 140 and engaged by a threaded adjusting rod 257 carried in a fixed bracket 258. as shown in Fig. 5; The construction and operation of this mechanism for releasing the bar 55 from the carrier belts is fully disclosed in the aforesaid application Serial No. 516 806 to which reference may be had. In so far as the present invention is concerned, this includes means for automatically operating myimprQved latching devices to release the bar 55 at the point where it is engaged by the releasing belts 220for delivery to the re-winding mechanism. This'releasing means comprises yieldably supported members 60, similar to the'previously described members 25 at the front end of the machine, which are arranged to engage and open the pivoted latch members 14 at that point in the travel of the towel bar where they are to be released from the carrier belts by the belts 220 for delivery to the re-winding mechanism. The action of these members will be clear by reference to Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5. the parts are shown in position with a latch device just passing beneath the front end of one of the members 60, and

the bar 55 about to trip the clutch mechaand releasing chains further along in their paths of movement. the pivoted member 14 of the latch device being held in open position by the member 60, and the projection 224 on the releasing belt just moving the bar from its engagement with the latch. The pivoted members 14: continue to be held in such open position until the bar 55 is released therefrom by the forward movement of the projections 22% on the releasing belts, after which the continued movement of the latch devices from beneath the members 60 permits of the closing of the same.

The members 60 are of substantially the same construction as the members 25 with the exception that they are somewhat longer in order to maintain the latch devices open a somewhat stinger period of time, which is necessary to permit of the disengagement of the bar therefrom by the particular releasing means here shown. It will of course be understood that the latch devices may be automatically o ened to release the bar 55 at any desired point in the path oi movemcnt ot said bar simply by locating, opening members, such as (50, at the desired point. The members 60, as here shown, are each mounted on a stationary pivot 61 on the machine frame, and yieldingly held in position with its free or operative end extending into the path of movement of the cooperating latch device, by means ot a coiled springfi? supported on the pivot with one end engaging a stationary pin 63 and its other end engaging a pin (it on the member itself, this spring acting to yieldingly hold the member in its nornnl position, which is determined, by the engag ment of an er;- tension 65 of the member 60 with a fixed stud 66. 7

The engagement of the bar 55 with the latch devices 10 as hereinbefore described serves to maintain positive connection between said parts in the direction of travel of the carrier belts, but not in a direction transversely of said belts. To eliect this, I have notched the edge of the bar adjacent its opposite ends to form sioulders 70, which, when the bar in connection with V the latch devices, are caused to engage the inner surface 71 of the inner side wall of the latch blocks, as shown in Fig. 13, and so prevent lateral separation of the carrier belts from the ends of the connected bar.

In view of the factthat a device of any suitable character may be employed for effecting detachable connection between the towels and the latch devices 10 on the carrier belts other than the bar 55, I have used the term towel attachment in certain of the following claims to designate said bar or any other device serving a like function, and in view. of the f111il1GI f2lCil that the present invention obviously is not limited in its use to any particular kind of laundering means, I have used the term laundering means in the following claims to designate eitheror bot-l the washing and rinsing tank and associated mangle here disclosed or any other equivalent means.

l hat' I claim is: 1. In a machine of the class descriljicd, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a connected. towel through said laundering means and having a latch device movable therewith. a towel attachment, and means, mounted lUdQPGlMlently of the carrier, operative to actuate said latch device for eillecting its connection with the towel attachment.

'2. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with laundering means, offa carrier operative to draw a connected towel through said laundering means and having a latch device movable therewith, a towel attachment, means for simporting the latter in the path of movement ot' the latch device, and means operative at a predetermined point in the path of movement of said latch device ,to actuate the same for eli'ectingits. connection with the towel attachment.

S. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a connected towel through said laundering means and having a latch device movable therewith, a towel attachn'ient, means for supporting the latter in the path of movement of the latch device, and yieldable means operative at a predetermined point in the path of movement of said latchdevice to actuate the same for effecting its connection with the towel attachment.

4;. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a connected, towel through said laundering means and having a latch device movable therewith, a towel attachment, means for supporting the latter in the path of movement of the latch novice, and a cam operative at a predetermined pointin the path of movement of i ,id latch device to actuate the same "for el'l'ecting its connection with the towel attachment.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a connected towel through said laundering means and having a latch device movable therewith, atowel attachment, means for supporting the latter in the path of movement oi the latch device, and a pivoted yieldably-held cam operative at a predetermined. point in. the path of movement of said latch device to actuate the same for effecting its'connection with the towel attachment.

(3. In a machine oil the class described, the combination with laundering means. of a carrier operative to draw a connected. towel through said laundering means and ha ing a normally closed latch device movable therewith, a towel attachment, means for supporting the latter in the path 0t movement of the latch device, and means operative to open the latch upon its approach to the towel atachment and to therea'tter release it for latching engagement with said Inent-ot the latchidevice, and-a cam operative to open the latclrupon its approach to the towel attachment and to thereafter release it for latchingengagement withsaid attachment.

8. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a connected towel through said. laundering means and having. a normally closed latch device movable therewith, a towel attachment, means for supporting thelatter in the path of movement of the latch device, a stationary sup port and a member mounted upon said stationary support and extending into the path of movement oi the latch device and.

bein ooerative to 03611 the latter upon its D a approach to the'towel attachment and to thereafter-release it for latching engagement with said attachment.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering 'means, of a carrier operative to draw a connected towel through said laundering means and having a latch device movable-therewith said latch device embodying a pivoted latching member, a

towel attachment, means for-supporting the a latch device movable therewith said latch device embodying a pivoted latching memher, a towel attachment, means for supporting the-latter in the path of movement of the latch device, and a yieldably mounted cam operative to engage and open saidpivoted member of the latch device upon its ap proach to the towel attachment-and to there after release it for latching engagement with said attachment.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a towel-through the laundering means and comprising a pair of belts having attached thereto latch devices for movement therewith, a bar for detachable connection with a towel, means forsupporting saidbar with its ends in the paths of movement of the latch devices, and means operative to open the latches upon their approach to the bar and to thereafter releasethem for latching engagement with said bar.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a 7 carrier operative to draw a towel through said laundering means and comprising a pair of belts havmg attached thereto latch devices: for movement therewith, said latch devices each comprising a chambered block open at one end and a pivotedmember nor mally closing said open end, a bar for detachable connection with a towel, mcansior' supporting said bar with its ends in the paths of movement of the latch devices, and means operative to open the pivotedmembers of the latch devices upon theirapproach to the bar ends to permit of the latter being received within the chambered blocks and to thereafter release them for latching the bar ends within the said blocks.

13. In a machine ofthe class described, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a connected towel through said laundering means and havinga latch device movable therewith, a towel at tachment, means mounted independently of the carrier operative to actuate the latch device for effecting its connection with the towel attachment, and means operative to subsequently actuate said latch device to release the towel attachment from connection therewith.

14. In a machine of'the' class described, the combination with laundering m'eans, of a carrieroperative to draw aconnected towel through said laundering meansand having alatch device movable therewith, a towel attachment, means mounted independently of the carrier in front of the laundering means operative to actuatesaid latch device for effecting its connection with the towel attachment, and means at the rear of the laundering means for actuating said latchdevice to release the'towel attachment from connection therewith.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a connected towel through said laundering means and having a'latch device movable therewith, a towelattachment, a cam operative to actuate the latch device'for effecting its connection with the towel attachment, and a camoperative to subsequently actuate said latch device to release the towel attachment from connection therewith.

16. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a 'carrier operative to drawa towel through the laundering means, said carriercomprising a pair of belts having attached thereto latch devices for'movement therewith, a bar I L rier, operative to actuate said latch device" the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a towel through the laundering means, said carrier comprising a pair of belts having attached latch devices for movement therewith, a bar for detachable connection with a towel, means for supporting said bar with its ends in the paths of movement of the latch devices, yieldable cams operative to open the latches upon their approach to the bar ends and to thereafter release them for latching engagement with said bar ends, and yieldable cams operative to subsequently re-open the latches to release the bar from connection therewith.

18. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a towel through said laundering means and having a latch device movable therewith, a towel attachment detachably connected with the carrier by said latch device, a yieldable cam for operating the latch device to release the towel attachment, and means for disengaging the released towel attachment from the latch device. 7

19. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a towel through said laundering means and having a latch device movable therewith, a towel attachment, means for supporting the latter in the path of movement of the latch device, means Operative to actuate said latch device for effecting its connection with the towel attachment, means for subsequently operating the latch device to release'the towel,

attachment, and means for disengaging the released towel attachment from the latch device.

20. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a continuously moving carrier operative to draw a connected towel through said laundering means and having a latch device movable therewith, a towel attachment, and

means operative to actuate said latch device during movement of the carrier for effecting its connection with the towel attachment.

21. In a machine of the class described, the combination with launderingmeans, of a continuously moving carrier operative to draw a connected towel through said laundering means and having a latch device movable therewitli,a towel. attachment, and means, mounted independently of the carduring movement of the carrier for eli'ecting its connection with the towel attachment.

22. In amachine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a towel through said laundering means and comprising a pair of belts having attachment latch devices for movement therewith, said latch devices each comprising a chambered block open at one end and a pivoted member normally closing said open end, a bar for detachable connection with a towel and having transversely extending shoulders adjacent its opposite ends, means for supporting said bar with its ends in the paths of movement of the latch devices, and means operative to open the pivoted members of the latch devices upon their approach to the bar ends to permit of the latter being received within the chambered blocks and to thereafter release them for latching the bar ends within the said blocks, the said shoulders on the bar engaging the inner walls of the latch. blocks to hold the latter against lateral separation from the bar.

23. I11 a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a towel through the laundering means and comprising a pair of belts having attached latch devices for movement therewith, a bar for detachable connection with a towel, means for supporting said bar in position to be engaged by the latch devices, and means engaging said bar between its ends and holding it with its ends in the paths of movement of the latch devices.

24:. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a towel through the laundering means andcomprising a pair of belts having attached latch devices for movement therewith, a bar for detachable connection with a towel having a notch in one edge thereof, means for supporting said bar in position to be engaged by the latch devices, and an arm engaging the bar in its said notch and holding it against endwise movement with its ends in the paths of movement of the latch devices.

25. In a machine of the class described, the combination with laundering means, of a carrier operative to draw a towel through the laundering means and comprising a pair of belts having attached latch devices for movement therewith, a bar for detachable connect-ion with a towel having a notch in one edge thereof, means for supporting said bar in position to be engaged by the latch de vices, and a yieldingly held arm. loosely engaging the bar in its said notch and holding it againstrendwise movement with its ends in the paths of movement of the latch devices.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature;

' IVILLIAM IV. THINKS. 

